This saucy chicken and hokkien noodle stir fry is fresh, spicy and bursting with vibrant flavors. It has great freshness from grated ginger, cilantro, lime zest and chili pepper. The preparation is simple, you whisk your ingredients together, then use half as marinade and the remaining half as stir fry sauce. All ingredients are widely available in grocery stores and no trip to specialty stores is required.
For more Asian-inspired dishes with fresh ingredients, also check out this shrimp noodle salad and these Asian beef meatballs!
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What fresh ingredients do I need for this stir fry?
You need a Fresno chili pepper, cilantro, garlic, ginger, lime, broccoli and mint. (If Fresno chili pepper is not available, you can substitute 1 jalapeno pepper.)
What pantry and refrigerator ingredients do I need?
You need honey, sesame oil, sesame seeds, vegetable oil, chicken tenderloins, corn starch, rice vinegar, soy sauce and hokkien noodles.
What are hokkien noodles?
Hokkien noodles are wheat-based Asian noodles that originated in China. You can find them in many regular grocery stores now, usually pre-cooked in a vacuum-sealed packet (as pictured above). Hokkien noodles have a nice chew and because they hold on to sauce nicely, they are great for stir fries. (They are also excellent in Asian soups, like this super fast and easy coconut shrimp soup.)
How to make the stir fry:
See full ingredients & instructions in the recipe card below!
Step 1. Add garlic, chili pepper, cilantro, lime zest, ginger, sesame oil and seeds, soy sauce, rice vinegar and honey to a 2-cup liquid measuring cup. Stir together until well combined.
Step 2. Pour half of the mix into a bowl, add the chicken to the bowl, cover and marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes. The remaining half of the sauce that's still in the cup will become the stir fry sauce. Cover and transfer that to the fridge as well.
Step 3. Take the chicken out of the fridge and drain into a colander. Heat vegetable oil in a non-stick pan and fry the chicken in two batches. (Wipe the inside of the pan with a paper towel in between batches.) Once the chicken is cooked through and browned on the edges, take it out and set aside.
Step 4. Wipe the inside of the pan with a paper towel again, then add the broccoli florets to it. Pour in ½ cup of water and boil uncovered, stirring the broccoli around a few times. When all the water has evaporated, the broccoli will be done.
Step 5. Add the chicken back into the pan, then add the noodles (directly out of the pouches).
Step 6. Whisk the corn starch into the stir fry sauce, then pour into the pan. Bring the sauce to a full boil, then take off the heat.
Recipe and ingredient notes & tips:
- Don't worry if the hokkien noodles stick together and come out of the packet as one solid piece. As they warm up and get coated with the sauce, they will easily break up.
- This recipe calls for a 2-cup liquid measuring cup but if you don't have one, you can use any other container with a spout.
Frequently asked questions:
Sprinkle the stir fry with chopped fresh mint leaves and serve immediately.
I don't recommend storing this dish. It is best right after it's been prepared and does not re-heat very well.
The level of spiciness of this stir fry is determined by the Fresno chili pepper. If you remove all seeds and ribs of the pepper, this dish is mildly spicy. If you want to make it moderately or very spicy, leave some of the ribs of the pepper on.
No, hokkien noodles are made with wheat flour and therefore contain gluten.
More Asian-inspired recipes:
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Full Printable Recipe
Hokkien Noodle Stir Fry with Chicken
Equipment:
- measuring spoons
- knife and cutting board
- garlic press (optional)
- citrus zester (for lime and ginger)
- 2-cup liquid measuring cup
- whisk
- mixing bowl
- colander
- pan or wok
- kitchen tongs
- paper towels
- wooden spoon
Ingredients:
- 1 small garlic clove, peeled and minced or pressed through a garlic press
- 1 Fresno chili pepper, thinly sliced, most of the ribs and seeds removed*
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
- 1 teaspoon lime zest (about 1 lime)
- ¼ teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger root
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 6 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 12 ounces chicken tenderloins, cut into bite-sized pieces and tendons removed (about 5 tenderloins)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil for frying
- 12 small broccoli florets
- 14 ounces cooked hokkien noodles
- ¼ teaspoon corn starch
- 20 fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
Instructions:
- In a 2-cup liquid measuring cup mix garlic, chili pepper, cilantro, lime zest, ginger, sesame seeds, sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar and honey together.
- Pour half of the mix into a bowl, add the chicken pieces to the bowl, cover and marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes. Cover and transfer the remaining half of the sauce that's still in the liquid measuring cup to the fridge as well. (This will become the stir fry sauce.)
- Drain the chicken into a colander, discarding the marinade it was in.
- Fry the chicken in two batches: Heat half of the oil in a non-stick pan on high heat until shimmering, then fry half of the chicken until cooked through and starting to brown on the edges. Take the chicken out of the pan and set aside. Wipe the inside of the pan with a paper towel to remove any burned bits from it, then repeat with the remaining chicken.
- Wipe the inside of the pan with a paper towel again, then add the broccoli to it. Pour in ½ cup of cold water, bring to a boil and boil uncovered until all the water has evaporated, stirring the broccoli around a few times.
- Add the chicken back to the pan.
- Add the noodles to the pan. (Add the cold noodles directly from the pouches to the pan.)
- Whisk the corn starch into the sauce mix that's still in the liquid measuring cup and pour into the pan.
- Bring the sauce to a full boil, then take off the heat.
- Sprinkle with chopped mint leaves and serve immediately.
Notes:
Nutrition Information (Estimated):
Nutrition values provided on this website are generated from a nutrition database and are estimates only. The accuracy of the nutrition information for any recipe on this website is not guaranteed. Nutrition values can vary quite a lot depending on which brands are used.
Kelly | Foodtasia
Nicole, I love noodle stir fry and this looks just delicious! The flavors sound amazing. Definitely will be trying this soon!
Nicole B.
Thank you so much, Kelly! It's one of my favorite recipes, I love the flavors. :)
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen
Nicole, the flavors sound incredible in this stir fry. I love the addition of the lime. Gorgeous photos. Thanks for sharing!
Nicole B.
Thank you so much, Mary Ann! The lime adds some nice freshness here, which I really liked. :)
mila furman
Wow Nicole...I so love this. This is like my type of noodle dish! I love the combination of lime and noodles! Super delicious looking!
Nicole B.
Thank you, Mila! The lime zest is definitely my favorite part here too. :)
Caroline @ Shrinking Single
This is my kind of dinner. Easy to make but packed with flavour. Love noodles and you make them look so deliciously good.
Nicole B.
Thank you, Caroline! I love this kind of dinner, too. :)
Medha @ Whisk & Shout
Stirfry can sometimes feel heavy and I love how you brightened it up with that lime! Delish :)
Nicole B.
Yeah, it's really light and refreshing. Thank you, Medha! :)